Bread and Butter

Well, we are day #2 into our new homeschooling adventure. I'll devote a whole post to this topic later, but for just being two little days into it....although I feel like I have a ton to say - I probably really don't.

INSTEAD!!! I'll share a family recipe for all of those cukes you may or may not have in your gardens, but for sure you are seeing in all of the grocery stores and farm stands. This is a family recipe passed down through the ages; it's the best - and I've had none better.

My dilly bean recipe on the other hand, is NOT a family recipe, it was NOT passed down, and it is NOT good. They taste just like a McDonald's Big Mac - if you're into that sort of thing. Good thing I only made one batch. Kev and Ransom like them - but they eat anything, so that's not saying much.

I actually should be sharing Mom's recipe for relish, as the season is drawing to a close. This recipe if more for the early cukes - but we have a new batch of cukes coming on, so that's why I'm into this recipe. The relish one will come later. Save all of your ginormous cukes that you missed when you were picking over your garden. Those ones are the perfect size for relish.

Okay. Onto Bread and Butter Pickles - the perfect side dish to ANYTHING!

(These are a two step process. Perfect for those of you with littles running all around. You can do the first part during naps and the second part after their bedtime. OR - if you're like me - you can do the first part with your baby sitting naked in your kitchen sink splashing water everywhere, and your older two running around half naked in your yard while squirting each other with the hose. Whatever floats your boat).

Step 1
* Cut up 16-18 heaping cups of smallish cukes (preferably Straight 8's as they have fewer seeds). Keep the skins on them and slice them into 1/4 inch little circles
* Cut up 6 onions into rings - same width
* Place all into a huge bowl, or cooler, or a plugged sink.

* Cover with 1/3 cup pickling salt and mix together with your hands.
* Cover all of this mixture with crushed ice and let sit 3-4 hours or even overnight. (Again - this is nice if you have a lot going on!)
* When you are ready to start Step #2, drain well. Do NOT rinse.

Step 2
* Prep 8 or 9 pint jars by first washing them really well and then sterilizing them in boiling water - making sure the entire jar is covered in water. Just keep the water boiling on them until you're ready to use them. You want them HOT.
* Put the lids into another pot - keep the water hot but not boiling.
* In a huge pot mix together: 3 cups cider vinegar, 5 cups sugar (I did NOT say these were healthy), 1/2 tsp. tumeric, 1 tsp. celery seed, and 2 TBlsp. mustard seed.
* Heat to boiling, stirring often.
* As soon as it starts to boil, dump in the cukes and onions.
* While stirring, heat back to boiling again. As soon as the liquid boils, turn it down to medium. You don't want it boiling anymore, but you do want it hot. You'll see the color of the cukes start to change.

* Take out your hot jars with tongs, immediately put your pickle mixture in (use slotted spoon so you get lots of the good stuff), push down tightly, and then cover completely with some of the liquid leaving 1/4 inch space at the top.
* Take out your lids and covers with other tongs and immediately screw on top.
* Done! Easy Sneezy. No pressure canning and no hot water bath needed. As long as everything is piping hot, they will seal themselves, and the large amount of vinegar allows you to not need to pressure can. I know a lot of people will still do hot water baths, so that's up to you. My Grammy never did, and my mom never does, so I don't. And I find that their pickles are always crunchier, because they weren't cooked further in the bath. Do whatever makes you comfortable.

NOTE: You're supposed to wait a few weeks before eating them, but we never do. My Grammy's motto was to always eat the fresh stuff "in" season, and save all of your canned goods for the winter months. We try, but some things you just have to eat right away!